As a pitcher in the MLB, Curt Schilling's love for video games was well-known. But 38 Studios, the online gaming startup he launched after retiring, proved to be a tremendous flop. Schilling poured $30 million of his savings into the company and the state of Rhode Island gave Schilling $75 million to build the company's offices in the state and hire local workers. But the fledgling company soon faltered. In 2012, 38 Studios failed to make payroll and laid off 379 employees before declaring bankruptcy in June.

In 2008, Natalie Portman created a line of vegan-friendly footwear in a partnership with the New York City store Té Casan. The shoes, which retailed for a hefty $200 a pair, were created without fur, leather or feathers. Though one could say the price didn't help move product, the end of Portman's venture came less a year after launch, when Té Casan folded due to a poor economic climate. The store put all of Portman's stock on sale in 2008 before closing up shop.

Whatcha gonna' do when lackluster profits run wild on you? Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan saw his fast-food restaurant, Pastamania, which offered pasta variations like "Hulk-U's" and "Hulk-a-Roos," get choked out in 1995. Despite promotional help from the World Wrestling Federation, the business closed its doors after less than a year.
Perhaps Hogan should have put his name on the George Foreman grill after all.

It wasn't long after Britney Spears opened her restaurant Nyla in June 2002 in New York's Dylan Hotel that bad publicity started destroying the eatery's credibility. Health violations, bad food and poor service -- not to mention, loads of debt -- led to a major overhaul of the menu from Southern style dishes to Italian-style fare.
The menu change didn't help. Spears would eventually abandon the restaurant, claiming that it fell victim to mismanagement.

Celebrities investing in startups and companies has become common practice -- but investing in towns? Actress Kim Basigner purchased the town of Braselton in her home state of Georgia for $20 million in 1989. Basinger envisioned turning the town into a tourist destination, complete with movie theaters and a film festival similar to Sundance.
Her big plans never materialized. She sold the town for $1 million in 1993, eventually declaring bankruptcy.

Actress. Singer. Successful restaurateur -- not quite.
Jennifer Lopez opened Latin eatery Madres in Pasadena, Calif. in 2002. The star-studded opening reflected the restaurant's pricey fare, with dishes running between $30 and $50. Despite the prices and negative reviews, Madres stayed open six years before closing its doors. No distinct reason was given for the closing.
Lopez has also seen fashion ventures go under. Her JLO line ceased to be profitable and was closed in 2007, followed by the closure of clothing lines JustSweet and Sweetface. Still, Lopez has persevered through the failures, releasing a diverse, 51-look line for the department store Kohl's last year.

Reading the fine print is hard.
The Kardashian sisters, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney, found this out the hard way while launching their very own credit card called the Kardashian Kard, aimed at young adults.
Customer outrage began to mount after reports surfaced that the card carried high fees, running cardholders at least $100 annually. The trio eventually backed out of their contract, claiming they were unaware of the card's high fees.